When Rihanna launched Fenty Skin in 2020, she didn’t follow the usual playbook. Here’s how Fenty Skin marketing strategy changed the beauty game forever.

Most celebrity beauty brands fail. They launch with big promises, fancy packaging, and celebrity selfies, but disappear within a few years. So how did Rihanna’s Fenty Skin become different? The answer lies in a brilliant marketing strategy that put authenticity and inclusivity first.

Why Most Celebrity Beauty Brands Don’t Work

Before we dive into Fenty Skin’s success, let’s talk about why celebrity beauty brands usually flop. Most celebrities just put their name on products without really caring about quality or their customers. They focus on making quick money instead of building lasting relationships.

Customers can tell when a celebrity doesn’t actually use their own products. When Kim Kardashian promotes a skincare line but clearly gets professional treatments, people notice. When a pop star sells makeup but always has a full glam team, it feels fake.

Rihanna was different from the start.

The Fenty Beauty Foundation: Building Trust First

Before Fenty Skin existed, Rihanna had already proven herself with Fenty Beauty in 2017. While other makeup brands offered 12-15 foundation shades, she launched with 40. This wasn’t just good marketing – it was revolutionary.

For years, people with darker skin tones couldn’t find makeup that matched them. Rihanna saw this problem and fixed it. She didn’t just talk about inclusivity; she built it into every product from day one.

This created something powerful: trust. When Fenty Skin launched three years later, customers already believed Rihanna cared about making products for everyone.

The Fenty Skin Marketing Strategy: Keep It Simple

In July 2020, when everyone was stuck at home during the pandemic, Fenty Skin launched with just three products:

1. Total Cleans’r (Makeup removing cleanser) – Around $25
2. Fat Water (Pore-refining toner serum) – Around $22
3. Hydra Vizor (Invisible daily sunscreen) – Around $32

While competitors launched 15-20 products at once, Fenty Skin kept things simple. This wasn’t laziness – it was smart strategy.

Think about walking into a store with 20 different face cleansers. How do you choose? It’s overwhelming. But when a brand you trust offers one great cleanser and explains exactly why it works, the choice becomes easy.

Real Celebrity Involvement Makes the Difference

Here’s what made Fenty Skin’s marketing strategy work: Rihanna actually used her own products and wasn’t afraid to show it.

She posted makeup-free selfies on Instagram. She talked openly about her skin problems. She showed her real morning routine, not some fake commercial version. When customers saw Rihanna dealing with the same skin issues they had, it created an instant connection.

This authentic approach set Fenty Skin apart from other celebrity brands where the star clearly doesn’t use their own products.

Marketing to Everyone, Not Just One Group

The Fenty Skin marketing strategy extended the inclusivity of Fenty Beauty to skincare. But this wasn’t just about skin color – it was about making skincare accessible to everyone.

Their advertising showed:

• Different ages (not just 20-year-olds)
• Different skin types (oily, dry, sensitive)
• Different backgrounds and ethnicities
• Real people, not just models

Most importantly, they made sure their products actually worked on all skin tones. Simple things like ensuring their sunscreen doesn’t leave white marks on darker skin made a huge difference.

Building Community, Not Just Customers

Instead of just running traditional ads, Fenty Skin focused on building a community. Their marketing strategy included:

User-Generated Content: They encouraged customers to share real results, not perfect photos. This created authentic testimonials that felt more trustworthy than paid ads.

Influencer Partnerships: They worked with beauty creators of all backgrounds, not just the biggest names. This helped them reach different communities authentically.

Social Media Engagement: Rihanna and the brand actively responded to customer questions and comments. This made customers feel heard and valued.

Real Results: They shared before-and-after photos from real customers, showing actual improvements rather than unrealistic transformations.

Where to Buy Fenty Skin Products

You can purchase Fenty Skin products from several retailers:

• Fenty Beauty Official Website (fentybeauty.com) – Full product range and exclusive bundles
• Ulta Beauty – In-store and online, often with samples
• Sephora – Wide selection with beauty advisor consultations
• Amazon – Convenient delivery and customer reviews
• Walmart – Travel sizes and starter sets
• Target – Now available at Ulta Beauty inside Target stores

The brand often offers starter sets that include all three core products at a discount, making it easier for new customers to try the complete routine.

The Results Speak for Themselves

Fenty Skin’s marketing strategy worked. The brand quickly gained a foothold in the competitive skincare market and has continued growing. Recent expansions include launching in mainland China in 2024 and partnerships with the WNBA New York Liberty team in 2025.

But the real success isn’t just in sales numbers. Fenty Skin changed how other beauty brands think about marketing:

• More brands now test products on diverse skin tones from the start
• Celebrity involvement in product development has become more authentic
• Simple, curated product lines are becoming more popular
• Community-building is now seen as more valuable than traditional advertising

Key Lessons from Fenty Skin’s Marketing Strategy

1. Authenticity Can’t Be Faked Customers can tell when a celebrity genuinely cares about their products. Real involvement creates stronger connections than paid endorsements.

2. Simple Beats Complicated In crowded markets, offering fewer high-quality options often works better than overwhelming customers with choices.

3. Inclusivity Is Good Business Designing for everyone from the start isn’t just the right thing to do – it opens up markets that competitors might miss.

4. Community Beats Advertising Building genuine relationships with customers creates longer-lasting success than traditional marketing campaigns.

5. Solve Real Problems The best products address actual customer needs, not invented problems from marketing departments.

What’s Next for Fenty Skin?

As Fenty Skin continues growing, the brand faces new challenges. How do you expand your product line while keeping things simple? How do you scale globally while maintaining authenticity?

But if Rihanna’s track record tells us anything, it’s that she’ll find a way to grow without losing what made Fenty Skin special in the first place.

The Fenty Skin marketing strategy proved that celebrity beauty brands can succeed when they’re built on genuine values rather than just fame and marketing budgets. In an industry often criticized for being superficial, Rihanna created something deeper: a brand that customers actually trust.

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Ready to try Fenty Skin? Check out their starter bundle with all three core products, or follow @fentyskin on Instagram to see real customer results and skincare tips.

What do you think makes a beauty brand authentic? Have you tried any Fenty Skin products? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Related Resources:

• Fenty Beauty Marketing Strategy Analysis
• Celebrity Brand Success Stories in Beauty
• Inclusive Marketing in the Beauty Industry